LP gas storage tanks are in common use as a source of energy in mobile applications and stationary applications too far from a centralized natural gas or other energy source. For example, LP gas tanks are often found on mobile homes for use in heating, cooking, and refrigeration in a mobile environment. Many homes and businesses in the country have LP gas tanks permanently mounted exterior the housing structure to supply the energy needs of the home or business. Tanks used in a stationary environment have become fairly standarized and are commonly cylinders of diameter between thirty and forty-one inches. The tanks are usually installed on their side with their elongate axis of symmetry horizontal.
In most LP gas installations, it is desirable to have a gauge or similar mechanism to constantly monitor the level of the LP gas within the tank. In a stationary installation, such gauges have often taken the form of a level gauge having a pivoting rod with a float at one end and a counter-balance weight at the other end. A counter-balance weight is necessary because the specific gravity of the LP gas is so low. The float will float atop the surface of the fluid and the rod pivots to move the needle of the gauge to indicate the fluid level.
To date, each liquid level gauge installed must be sized or constructed for an exact fit for the actual size or diameter of the tank concerned. This requirement forces the manufacturer and supplier to manufacture and warehouse a large inventory of gauge configurations, a situation which leads to inconvenience and increased cost. The only other alternative has been a gauge with an adjustable support. However, even an adjustable support gauge requires the float assembly be ordered, sized and constructed for an exact fit for the actual size of the tank concerned. For replacement gauges, this requirement is particularly onerous as it is time consuming and expensive for the dealer, service organizations, and ultimately, the consumer.
A need therefore exists for a gauge which can be universally adapted to the common LP gas tank sizes between thirty and forty-one inch diameter to eliminate the currently existing inventory difficulties.